1928 chevy roadster vacuum tank problem

[Don Merrill]

my 1928 chevy roadster vacuum tank will run the engine for five to ten seconds. then vent hole opens engine will stall

[Vintageben]

Can you tell us a little more, like had it previously been running and this is only a new problem or is this the first attempt to get it going. I had a funny experience a while back with my 27 Chev when I changed the cracked top on mine and put what I thought was a better top on. Lazy old me didn’t remove and inspect everything properly, the new top just would not suck the fuel in, turns out someone had filled the vent hole with some sort of putty I put the old top back on and it runs fine. I recommend checking every thing thoroughly and make sure there are no leaks. Good luck 

[ron hausmann]

Dom, - I run my 1927 Chevrolet and ALL of my Kissels on vacume tanks. They are trouble free if they are correctly installed without air leaks and b) without damaged parts. When the vent hole opens, that means that the float is up and/or the needle valve at the bottom is open. That then means no gas id being sucked and the engine will die. The first things I would check in your case is

a) are the springs working or are they sprung ? New springs are available and cheap.

b) does the float armature smoothly rise without binding? 

c) is the bottom needle valve seating completely?

A bent shaft can cause the needle valve to unseat intermittantly

Worn springs r armature can bind the float n the up position and starve the engine.

A air leak in your top seals or canister(s) can violate the required vacume.

Hope this helps. RON

[old car fan]

If it is the 8 screw top,we supply rebuild kits,restoration and services.

[Don Merrill]

thank you Ron that was helpful. let you know

[Don Merrill]

Ron were would the springs be located? tank has one valve top center, with two pins attached to float. at the bottom of the inside liner there is a plastic valve.

[Vintageben]

So this is the type of vacuum tank I’m running on my Chev and see from the photos where the springs are located. Sorry I just re-read you’re last post and I believe your vacuum tank is the sort with the pressed tin top now I have one around here some place and I have used it but I did have issues with it so I change to the type in my photo 

Cheers Ben

Edited December 5, 2018 by Vintageben
Forgot info (see edit history)

[Vintageben]

Here’s the other sort I was talking about but don’t ask me about them as I have little experience with this type 

[stakeside]

Vintageben-

I ad this tank on my 29 DB truck and choose to use the other Steward tank shown because or rebuild options.

check my previous tread on “VaccumTank Rebuild” on AACA site: 

 

[Vintageben]

Stakeside-

that is exactly my thoughts too. There’s plenty of rebuild options for the first tank

Cheers Ben

[ron hausmann]

Agree. Run with the first type.

Ron

 

[John_Mereness]

On 12/4/2018 at 8:23 PM, Vintageben said:

So this is the type of vacuum tank I’m running on my Chev and see from the photos where the springs are located. Sorry I just re-read you’re last post and I believe your vacuum tank is the sort with the pressed tin top now I have one around here some place and I have used it but I did have issues with it so I change to the type in my photo 

Cheers Ben

These SW type work just fine - install a rubberized-cork gasket (just like in the picture).

[John_Mereness]

Also, as a test just use the tank with top off as a "bucket" (not too much gas though as .... - sort of dangerous) and run the car.